untangling_the_web

DOClD: 4046925
UNCLASSIFIEONFOR OFFISIAL l::JSli Q~IL,Y
Web pages that allows users to add content, as on an Internet forum, but also allows
others (often completely unrestricted) to edit the content. The term wiki also refers to
the collaborative software (wiki engine) used to create such a website (see wiki
software). In essence, the wiki is a vast simplification of the process of creating
HTML pages, and thus is a very effective way to exchange information through
collaborative effort. Wiki is sometimes interpreted as the acronym for 'what I know,
is', which describes the knowledge contribution, storage and exchange up to some
point.',28 The most obvious potential problem with an encyclopedia that "anyone can
edit" is quality control, and in fact, one of the Wikipedia's co-founders admitted
serious problems with the quality and accuracy of some (perhaps a lot) of the
Wikipedia content." While there is a tremendous amount of good information in
Wikipedia, it should not be relied upon as a sole source. Neither should it be ignored
as this example of a "disambiguation" page on "java" shows:
Java
From Wikipedia. the free encyclopedia.
The term J•.IVa can refer 10:
In geography:
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~ Q Community Portal
: «s Current e .....ents
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: 8 RF.indom articte
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Help
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search
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l !l;I Special pages
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Printable vers ion
• Java (island), the most populous island in Indonesia
• Javanese language, a language widely spoken on the island of Java
• Java coffee, a variety of coffee plant which originated on the island of Java, or a slang word for
coffee
• Java Trench, a subduction zone trench off of the island of Java
• Java, Georgia (Republic of Georgia)
• J 3'; 3 , New York (United Slates of America)
• Java, South Dakota (United States of America)
In computer scieuce:
• Jova is a technology developed by Sun Microsystems for machine independent softw are, whi ch
encompasses:
a
clava programming language, an obje ct-oriented high-level programm ing language
• Java virtual machine, the virtual machi ne that runs Java byte code
• Java platform, the Java virtual mac hine plus associated librarie s
• JavaSc ript , a scripting language (unrelated to the Java program ming language).
Java may also mean:
Wikipedia also has the advantage of offering a free encyclopedia in a number of
languages besides English, including French, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch,
Swedish, Italian, German, and Japanese.
28 "Wiki," Wikipedia, Wikipedia, 2005. Answers.com (14
November 2006) .
29 Andrew Orlowski, "Wikipedia Founder Admits to Serious Quality Problems," The Register, 18
October 2005, (14 November
2006) .
UNCLASSIFIEOHFOR QFj;ICl.o,b U51i Obll Y 41